Science, Assessment & Monitoring

11 November 2011: Available for peer-review, a draft study circulated by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) compiles and synthesizes available scientific information on the possible impacts of geo-engineering techniques on biodiversity, including preliminary information on associated social, economic and cultural considerations. Comments are being accepted until 9 December 2011.

11 November 2011: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) are supporting the restoration of weather and climate services in Sierra Leone. The country's meteorological infrastructure was severely damaged during the civil war.

11 November 2011: The International Symposium on Integrated Drought Information Systems aimed to help countries, regions and communities move toward approaches that embrace drought preparedness and mitigation. Participants focused on the need for more coordinated polices to manage the risks of drought.

10 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published an addendum (FCCC/SBSTA/2011/MISC.7/Add.1) to views on methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+).

10 November 2011: The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its annual report on pollutant emissions from transport, highlighting a fall in 2009 that may, however, only be a temporary effect of the economic downturn.

8 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published the submission by the Secretariat of the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) on progress in the development of methodologies, standards and protocols for climate-related terrestrial observations and related matters.

9 November 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released the "World Aquaculture 2010" report, which identifies various external pressures on the sector, including climate change, the global economic crisis, and pandemic diseases.

4 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published a revised technical paper (FCCC/TP/2010/3/Rev.1) on issues relating to the transformation of pledges for emission reductions into quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives (QELROs). The paper provides a brief explanation of this transformation and illustrates the effect that different variables have on it.

3 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published the progress report (FCCC/SBI/2011/10) of the work of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE). The report contains the proceedings of the fifth meeting of the reconstituted CGE relating to progress in the implementation of its mandate and discussions on the organization of its work programme for 2011–2012.

3 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published the annual report of the Kyoto Protocol Compliance Committee to the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP), covering activities undertaken from 19 September 2010 to 13 October 2011 (FCCC/KP/CMP/2011/5).